A typical computer-based diagramming system facilitates the layout of various objects in a graph. The objects include nodes, which may have any of a variety of shapes, appearances, or properties. Rectangles, ovals, and bitmap images are examples of nodes that may be included in a graph. Edges are objects that connect two or more nodes. An example of an edge is a line that connects two nodes, where a line may be have multiple line segments, each one being straight or curved.
A user may use a diagramming system to create and manipulate nodes and edges. One technique is to use a pointer to manually select, move, or resize nodes or edges. An edge may have way points positioned on an edge line. Manual movement of an edge way point directs the system to redraw the edge so that it includes the new position of the way point.